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Alice Springs man charged with allegedly raping child under five

An Alice Springs has been charged with several child abuse offences including having sexual intercourse with a child under five. Read his full list of charges.

Northern Territory police in Alice Springs. Picture: Gera Kazakov
Northern Territory police in Alice Springs. Picture: Gera Kazakov

A 28-year-old Alice Springs man has been charged with several child abuse offences including sexual intercourse with a child aged under five.

The NT Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team received an urgent referral from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to a home in Alice Springs on May 7.

Detectives and federal agents from NT JACET, with support from the Alice Springs domestic violence and child abuse taskforce seized a large quantity of child abuse material the following day.

Police allege that the man also abused a child, aged under 5-years-old, who was known to him.

He has been charged with sexual intercourse with child under 10, two counts of gross indecency with a child under 14 and three counts of producing child abuse material for use via a carriage service.

He is further charged with possess or control child abuse material, access child abuse material and transmitting child abuse material.

NT Police allege the man abused a child younger than five. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin
NT Police allege the man abused a child younger than five. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

He has been remanded to appear in Alice Springs Court on July 10.

NT Police Force Detective Superintendent Paul Lawson said the alleged crimes were “abhorrent”.

“Preying on the most vulnerable members of our community who cannot defend themselves,” he said.

“I want to commend the seamless collaboration with our international and federal partners to target this offender and bring him before the court.

“If you abuse a child or procure, access and transmit child abuse material, we will find you, and you will be prosecuted.”

AFP Superintendent Greg Davis said the AFP and its law enforcement partners across Australia were committed to protecting children from sexual predators.

“Offenders cannot hide behind a screen when they carry out these reprehensible and hideous acts,” he said.

“Our message to online offenders has not changed, if you possess, produce or transmit child abuse material, you will be found, arrested and prosecuted.”

Originally published as Alice Springs man charged with allegedly raping child under five

Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/news/northern-territory/alice-springs-man-charged-with-allegedly-raping-child-under-five/news-story/1e23ac40f25a9fa71a0345d73899c0d6